Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

Comprehensive Mechatronic Design Methodology For 6-Dof Stationary Lower Limb Rehabilitation Exoskeleton Robot With Safety-Integrated Control Architecture, Javlonbek Rakhmatillaev Mr., Nodirbek Kimsanboyev Mr., Umidjon Takabaev Mr., Zafar Juraev Dr.

Chemical Technology, Control and Management

This paper presents the mechatronic design of a proposed six-degree-of-freedom (6-DOF) stationary lower limb rehabilitation exoskeleton (SLLRE) robot, developed through a comprehensive mechatronic design methodology that includes mechanical design, actuator and sensor selection, and the development of a control structure based on a safety-oriented control approach. The proposed 6-DOF SLLRE mechanical design introduces a comprehensive mechanical structure comprising bilateral hip, knee, and ankle joints, degrees of freedom, joint ranges of motion, human parameters for rehabilitation training, as well as the frames and structural elements of the proposed system. Furthermore, the selection of appropriate sensors, actuators, and control architecture for the …

Development And Evaluation Of A Smart Vacuum-Assisted Suspension System For Transtibial Prostheses, Zahraa Kathem Ali, Wajdi Sadik Aboud

Al-Bahir

A prosthetic socket is essential for achieving comfort, gait symmetry, and overall satisfaction for amputees. Effective suspension systems are crucial for securely attaching prostheses, thereby optimizing comfort, functional performance, and long-term limb health. This study aimed to develop and evaluate an intelligent vacuum-assisted suspension system for transtibial prostheses to improve socket fit, gait stability, and reduce residual limb movement. The system integrates force-sensitive resistors (FSRs) and an inertial measurement unit (MPU6050) with accelerometer and gyroscope sensors, continuously monitoring interface pressure and limb motion. Real-time data from these sensors dynamically adjusts vacuum pressure based on the user's gait pattern .Quantitative gait …

Visualizing The Effect Of Process Pause On Virus Entrapment During Constant Flux Virus Filtration, Wenbo Xu, Xianghong Qian, Hironobu Shirataki, Daniel Straus, Sumith Ranil Wickramasinghe

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Virus filtration is an essential unit operation used to validate clearance of adventitious virus during the manufacture of biopharmaceutical products such as monoclonal antibodies. Obtaining at least a 10,000-fold reduction in virus particles in the permeate is challenging as monoclonal antibodies are about half the size of the virus particles. Minute virus of mice, FDA-recommended model adventitious virus, was labeled with a fluorescent dye. Laser scanning confocal microscopy was used to determine the location of virus entrapment within the virus filtration membrane. Three different hollow fiber membranes made of regenerated cellulose and polyvinylidene fluoride were tested. Feed streams consisted of …

Use Of Alaçatı Stone Aggregate In Conventional And Self-Consolidating Concretes, Tahir Kemal Erdem

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

Alaçatı stone or Alapietra stone is widely used mostly for building cladding. However, its production and use in the construction sites generate high amounts of waste (debris), causing environmental pollution in Çeşme which is a touristic district. This study investigated the reuse of Alaçatı stone as lightweight aggregate (LWA) in both conventional and self-consolidating concrete (SCC) mixtures. The concretes were prepared to have three different water-to-cement ratios (w/c), which were 0.38, 0.42 and 0.48. For each w/c, a conventional concrete mixture and two SCC mixtures with 60 or 70 cm slump flow were produced by varying the superplasticizer SP content. …

A Decision Support Model For Building Material And Component Reuse In The Context Of Circular Buildings, Havva Aksel

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

Construction activities cause significant environmental impacts such as waste generation, pollution, resource consumption, and land use, which are expected to increase with global construction demands. To mitigate these environmental problems, the circular building occurs as an emerging concept depending on in the circular economy, which aims to minimize waste and redefine the “end-of-life” concept by reducing, reusing, recycling, and recovering materials. The reuse of building materials and components (BMCs) from existing structures represents a crucial strategy for achieving circularity in the built environment. Within this framework, design plays a key role. However, designing with reclaimed BMCs remains complex due to …

Analyzing Ethics Education Strategies In Biomedical Engineering Programs, Sanjana Prashanth

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Validation Of Innovative Method Of Murine Vertebral Compression Testing, Sarah Staller

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

Murine vertebral compression testing is a common technique to quantify trabecular bone biomechanics. Having a precise method of vertebral compression is important for aiding researchers in making clinically relevant discoveries in musculoskeletal research. While many methods exist in literature, there has yet to be established a universal protocol for this procedure. Many challenges exist in vertebral compression, such as the irregular shape of the vertebral body (trabecular region of interest), uneven endplate surface morphology, and surrounding cortical processes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a new method of vertebral compression that accounts for these factors and to …

The Automation Of Lamp Biomolecular Assays Using The Eppendorf Epmotion™ 5075 Robotic Pipettor, Shamalaa Sathiasealan

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a nucleic acid amplification technique known for its specificity and efficiency in less controlled environments than laboratories. Designing novel LAMP reagents requires strict contamination control, and unlike the more commonly automated polymerase chain reaction, LAMP’s heightened sensitivity poses unique challenges to automation. To address this, we optimized automation procedures for LAMP using a robotic pipettor without altering the core assay itself. This project focuses on minimizing contamination using sealed plates, reducing operator intervention by automating pipetting, and preventing enzyme degradation using cooling plates. Our approach employs pre-slit pierceable seals and cooling blocks to prevent cross-contamination …

Implications Of Noninvasive Blood Pressure Pumps On Mean Arterial Pressure, Sammie Miller

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

Noninvasive blood pressure pumps are recommended as the primary form of acquiring patient blood pressure to test for blood poisoning. The Philips IntelliVue Patient Monitor MP5, the Philips SureSigns VS4/VS3 Vital Signs Monitor, the Philips EarlyVue VS30 Vital Signs Monitor, the Philips IntelliVue Patent Monitor MP2/X2, the Philips IntelliVue Patent Monitor MMS, and the Philips IntelliVue Patent Monitor MP3/X3 were tested for accuracy. The control condition for hypotension was 95/55 (68) mmHg, normal blood pressure was 120/80 (93) mmHg, and hypertension was 155/85 (108) mmHg. The order of values is arrayed according to diastolic, systolic, and mean arterial pressure. The …

Optimization Of Research Pipeline To Characterize The Effects Of Atp-Sensitive Potassium Channels Mutations On Native Skeletal Muscle Fibers And Evaluate Potential Drug Therapy, Yuezhou Chen

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

The ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channel is a critical metabolic sensor in skeletal muscle, yet its definitive molecular composition and functional roles remain contested. In this study, I conclusively demonstrate that the Kir6.2/SUR2 complex forms sarcolemmal KATP channel in mouse fast-twitch muscle. Genetic knock-out (KO) of Kir6.2 (Kcnj11−/−) or SUR2 (Abcc9−/−) resulted in a similar phenotype with increased fatigue resistance and a pathological rise in unstimulated resting tension at high-frequency stimulation. In contrast, SUR1 (Abcc8−/−) KO was ineffective. Furthermore, a CRISPR/Cas9 knock-in mouse model of a human SUR2A truncation variant (KCGV/KCGV) recapitulated the abnormal force accumulation, demonstrating that even loss-of-function of …

Functional Characterization Of Abcc8 Mutations Potentially Linked To The Transition From Hyperinsulinemic Hypoglycemia To Diabetes, Hao Zhang

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels, composed of the SUR1 and Kir6.2 subunits encoded by the ABCC8 and KCNJ11 genes, are critical regulators of membrane excitability and insulin secretion in pancreatic β-cells. Gain-of-function (GOF) mutations in these genes cause neonatal diabetes mellitus through impaired insulin secretion and persistent hyperglycemia, whereas loss-of-function (LOF) mutations lead to congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) with hypoglycemia due to β-cell hyperexcitability. I have addressed a paradoxical form of maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) arising from KATP mutations, in which patients transition from CHI to glucose intolerance later in life. My experiments indicate that many KATP mutations associated with …

Expansion Limits Of Meshed Split-Thickness Skin Grafts, Haomin Yu

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Split-thickness skin grafts are widely used to treat chronic wounds. Procedure design requires surgeons to predict how much a patch of the patient's own skin expands when it is meshed with rows of slits and stretched over a larger wound area. Accurate prediction of graft expansion remains a challenge, with current models overestimating the actual expansion, leading to suboptimal outcomes. Inspired by the principles of mechanical metamaterials, we developed a model that distinguishes between the kinematic rearrangement of structural elements and their stretching, providing a more accurate prediction of skin graft expansion. Our model was validated against extensive data …

Methods For The Discovery Of Antibodies Toward Junin Virus Utilizing Yeast Surface Display, Jonathon E. Corral

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The importance of this study is to perform antibody discovery as a means to derive novel preventative and therapeutic antibody countermeasures against the Junín virus, to alleviate the potential risk of a global pandemic. The purpose of this methodological study was to develop a protocol that utilizes yeast surface display to discover antibodies, from naïve human antibody libraries, that can bind the Junín Virus antigen. The methodology of yeast surface display employs the galactose-inducible GAL1 promoter to synthesize and express antibody proteins bound to the Aga2p and Aga1p and anchored to the cell wall by glycosyl phosphatidylinositol motif (GPI). The …

2d-Nanosilicate Carriers For Sustained Delivery Of Vaccine Components, Chih Yun Liu

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Laponite® 2D Nanosilicates (NS) are disc-shaped platelets (~30 nm diameter, ~1 nm thick) with positively charged edges and negatively charged faces, capable of loading proteins, drugs, and nucleic acids via electrostatic interactions to form a house-of-cards gel that sequesters cargo. Here, we evaluated NS for sustained delivery of antigens and Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists to extend germinal center duration and enhance antibody quality. The model antigen ovalbumin (OVA) was adsorbed onto NS at acidic pH in a ~1:1 ratio, with partial unfolding that remained stable at physiological pH. NS-OVA complexes were efficiently internalized by dendritic cells, with uptake driven primarily …

Design And Development Of Biomimetic Hydrogel Interfaces For Enhanced Bioelectrical Signal Acquisition, Daniela Nikoloska

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Every second, human skin processes over one million sensory signals while maintaining properties such as electrical conductivity, mechanical adaptability, and regenerative capability that surpass all synthetic materials. Contemporary bioelectronic devices prove inadequate when contacting skin surfaces due to poor adhesion and electrical contact issues that prevent effective sensing. Despite advancements in wearable and bioelectronic technologies, current devices face major drawbacks when interfacing with human skin, particularly in maintaining firm adhesion, conformability, and low-noise electrical signal acquisition.

This research focuses on the development of a biomimetic hydrogel-based interface for bioelectronic sensing. Specifically, a hybrid hydrogel system composed of polydopamine (PDA)- doped …

Durability Of Alkali-Activated Concretes Under 5% Sulfuric Acid Environment, Celal Karabaş, Anıl Niş

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

The investigation focused on the resistance to 5% sulfuric acid degradation of the alkali-activated concretes (AAC). The AAC was manufactured using a blended binder of 50% slag and 50% F-type fly ash. The AAC was activated using a blend of 14 M sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate, with a hydroxide-to-silicate ratio of 1/2,5. Six AAC were produced against a 5% sulfuric acid environment, varying the binder amounts (400–500–600 kg/m3) and activator-binder (A/B) ratios (0,45–0,55). The chemical resistance of AAC was evaluated by visual appearance, variation in weight and compressive strengths. The findings pointed out that more gypsum and higher weight …

Comprehensive Risk Assessment For Construction Site Managers In Kosovo: A Mixed-Method Approach, Muhamet Ahmeti, Besian Sinani

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

This study developed and validated a hybrid ISO 31000:2018 Kosovo-compliant risk assessment framework tailored for construction site managers operating within transitional economies. The research employed audits of 20 ISO-certified contractors in Pristina, Kosovo, along with field observations, interviews, and quantitative risk matrices. The findings indicate a critical concentration of risk, with 70% of firms classified as "High" or “Very High” risk. The most prevalent hazards identified were working at height without collective protection, unprotected electrical systems, and manual handling of heavy materials. Regression analysis revealed that firms with a designated safety champion achieved significantly lower risk scores, whereas those with …

Behaviour Of Internally Strengthening Hollow Stainless-Steel Hot-Rolled Circular Columns Filled With Crumb Rubber And Recycled Aggregate Concrete, Wadhah M. Tawfeeq, Mohammed M. Rasheed, Mithaq Kohees, Ahmed W. Al Zandd, Saif Al-Balushi, Hamed Al Abdul Salam

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

Stainless-steel sections are increasingly being utilised in favour of their higher durability. Simultaneously, the use of recycled materials in concrete is aligned with the global concern to encourage sustainable and environmentally friendly construction. The paper examined the behaviour of stainless-steel columns filled with concrete with crumb rubber (CR) and recycled aggregate (RA). It analysed the effect of different percentages of CR (0, 15, and 30) and RA (0, 15, and 50) on the compressive strength of the concrete and the performance of the columns using stainless-steel hollow sections. 20 specimens were manufactured, 18 of which were cast with concrete containing …

Piezoelectric Concrete: A Smart Material Approach For Energy-Harvesting Structural Technologies, Dianah Mazlan, Vynotdni Rathinasamy, Naveen Kumar, Liu Chunpeng, Elango Elango

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

The rapid growth of urban infrastructure demands innovative materials that not only support structural performance but also contribute to sustainability through energy harvesting. Piezoelectric concrete, which integrates ceramics, polymers, nanomaterials, and bio-based fillers into cementitious matrices, has emerged as a promising solution. This review systematically explores the fundamentals of piezoelectricity in concrete, highlighting how stress-induced electromechanical coupling enables both energy harvesting and structural health monitoring. The paper critically evaluates major material systems including PZT ceramics, PVDF polymers, hybrid nanocomposites, and emerging bio-based materials, alongside their integration strategies such as embedded and surface-mounted approaches. Applications across pavements, bridges, and smart buildings …

Recreating Fiber Recruitment With Fiber Recruitment Using Additive Manufacturing, Natalia D. Mciver

Biomedical Engineering ETDs

Injured ligaments are often repaired with tendon grafts which may over or under constrain the joint; there is a need for an artificial graft option with the mechanical properties of a native ligament. Crimped fibers within ligaments allow for recruitment which means the viscoelastic properties of stress relaxation and creep are not inversely related. A feasibility study using ACLs and large-scale crimp models to study viscoelasticity, led to an in-depth analysis of the scapholunate interosseous ligament. Using the Modified Kelvin spring-dashpot model, for describing viscoelasticity with a variable stiffness property (time dependent fiber recruitment), we defined the relationship between creep …

Electrochemical Detection Of No And Ca2+ During Cold Atmospheric Plasma Treatment Of Acute Wounds: Sensor Selectivity And Stability In The Plasma-Bio-System, Jonathan E. Thomas, Kristina Pattison, Suneel Kumar, Gagana Karkada, Duncan Trosan, Aunic Goodin, Jason Rainone, Dnyaneshwari Rananavare, Vandana Miller, Francois Berthiaume, Katharina Stapelmann

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

Cold atmospheric plasmas (CAP) are a versatile tool in medical applications like wound healing. Its therapeutic benefits are partially attributed to the generation of biologically active reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). Characterization of RONS, however, typically only occurs after treatment. Here we report the first real-time in situ detection of CAP-generated nitric oxide (NO), and the simultaneous detection of cellular calcium ions (Ca²⁺) release using electrochemical sensors during CAP treatment of murine wounds. In vivo, NO rose rapidly within the first minute of CAP treatment but accumulated less overall than in PBS, reflecting reactions with wound-bed targets. In situ …

Mechanical Quality Of Hemp Fiber As Influenced By Tillage, Cover Crop, And Nitrogen Management In Regenerative Organic Systems, Parinaz Heydar, Alyssa Pierce, Gabriella Fioravanti, Ronald Kander

School of Design and Engineering Papers

Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is an emerging crop for renewable fiber materials. For farmers, finding a balance between agronomic performance and economic return is crucial, especially when targeting specific markets like the textile industry, which values not just fiber quantity, but overall quality. This field study, conducted at the Rodale Institute in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, assessed the effects of tillage (till vs. no till), cover crop (with cover vs. no cover), and nitrogen (N) rate (0, 50, 100, 150 kg ha⁻¹) on hemp fiber yield, N concentrations in leaf and stalk, and mechanical performance under regenerative organic conditions. Fiber mechanical …

Exploring Interactive Robotic Music Therapy Systems For Rehabilitation: A Survey Paper, Hector A. Salinas Gordillo

Discovery Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Research Internship

Interactive robotic music therapy introduces an innovative opportunity, where human guided musical interaction with robotic systems can create adaptive and engaging therapeutic experiences. This survey explores the current state of research at the intersection of robotics, music, and rehabilitation, focusing on emerging technologies such as human robot interaction methods and system designs that help enable real time, interactive music therapy.

Potential patient groups include individuals undergoing motor or cognitive rehabilitation, such as those recovering from stroke, living with Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, or other motor impairments, as well as individuals with developmental disorders or limited mobility.

Traditional rehabilitation exercises may …

Space Agriculture: A Comprehensive Systems-Level Review Of Challenges And Opportunities, Hassan Fazayeli, Aaron Lee M. Daigh, Cassandra Palmer, Santosh Pitla, David Jones, Yufeng Ge

Biological Engineering Faculty Publications

As humanity prepares for prolonged space missions and future extraterrestrial settlements, developing reliable and resilient food-production systems is becoming a critical priority. Space agriculture, the cultivation of plants beyond Earth (particularly on the Moon and Mars), faces a constellation of interdependent environmental, biological, and engineering challenges. These include limited solar radiation, elevated ionizing radiation, large thermal variability, non-Earth atmospheric pressures, reduced gravity, regolith substrates with low nutrient-holding capacity, high-CO₂/low-O₂ atmospheres, pervasive dust, constrained water and nutrient availability, altered plant physiology, and the overarching need for closed-loop, resource-efficient systems. These stressors create an exceptionally challenging environment for plant …

Engineered Multifunctional Drug-Loaded Dendrimer Nanoparticles For Glaucoma: Triple Mechanism Via Antioxidant Activity, Iron Chelation, And Enhanced Ocular Transport, Burhan Ates, Ashish Trital, Vimalin Jeyalatha Mani, Lei Xu, Jonathan Kenlee, Nuran Ercal, Hu Yang

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this study, we developed multifunctional nanoparticles based on polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers functionalized with caffeic acid (CA) and poly (ethylene glycol) maleimide (PEGM) for the topical delivery of hydrophobic antiglaucoma drugs brimonidine (BM) and betaxolol (BX). The PAMAM-CA and PAMAM-CA-PEGM conjugates exhibited antioxidant and iron-chelating activities in a dose-dependent manner. BM- and BX-loaded dendrimer nanoparticles produced using a multi-inlet vortex mixer showed uniform spherical morphology (∼80 nm by TEM) and hydrated sizes of ∼135-144 nm by DLS. Both nano formulations demonstrated high cytocompatibility with human corneal epithelial cells and were nonirritant in the HET-CAM assay, with PEGM further improving cytocompatibility. …

Dynamic, Reconfigurable, And Hierarchical Biosynthetic Composites Via Collagen Self-Assembly Within Highly Crowded Microgel Pastes, Elif Narbay, Abbygail Caine, Sanika Pandit, Gabrielle Montgomery, Marion Harper, E. Daniel Cárdenas-Vásquez, Hatte Hamilton, Megan Hicks, Daniel Mattar, Kyle Choy, Marco Bisoffi, L. Andrew Lyon

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

The fabrication of a new class of biomimetic biomaterials is reported using nanostructured microgel pastes formed from “overpacked” assemblies of ultrasoft poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) microgels and their composites with collagen. Despite the solid-like nature of microgel pastes, collagen fibrillogenesis is robust and rapid, with a 3D collagen network forming throughout the paste volume. Structural organization within the composite is interrogated via a suite of microscopy methods, while rheological characterization provides insight into the static and dynamic mechanical properties of the materials. Long-range fibrillogenesis is enabled by local crowding, dynamics, and spatial reconfigurability of pastes at the …

Strategies For Prolonging Ventricular Action Potential Duration Without Increasing Transmural Dispersion Of Repolarization, Candido Cabo

Publications and Research

Dispersion of repolarization results from a non-homogeneous recovery of excitability in cardiac tissue, and it is an important factor in arrhythmogenesis because it could lead to the initiation and maintenance of a variety of arrhythmias. Antiarrhythmic agents that prolong action potential duration (APD) by selectively blocking specific ion channels (like IKr) often increase dispersion of repolarization, which could result in a pro-arrhythmic risk. In this report, using computer models of the action potential of human epicardial, mid-myocardial, and endocardial myocytes, we have identified strategies to prolong APD without increasing transmural dispersion of repolarization. The first strategy, which involves blocking several …

Unsaturated Fatty Acid Oil-Based Microdroplets: A Promising Novel Class Of Microdroplets, Ramiz S. Alejilat

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Droplet-based microfluidics has rapidly advanced numerous fields, including chemistry, biology, materials science, medicine, food science, and cosmetics. In these systems, fluorocarbon oil combined with fluorinated surfactants is the preferred medium for fluid encapsulation, offering exceptional stability and biocompatibility essential for sensitive biological and chemical processes. However, growing concerns about the environmental and biological risks associated with fluorinated chemicals have prompted a search for alternatives.

This study is the first to explore the use of unsaturated fatty acids derived from emu oil for microdroplet formation. We characterized droplet formation based on flow rates and the presence non-fluorinated surfactant at a certain …

Fully Integrated Slippage Detection System For Lower Limb Amputees, Christopher E. Miglio

Master's Theses

Lower limb amputees face significant challenges in maintaining a proper prosthetic fit, as improper fit can lead to slippage at the limb-socket interface, resulting in discomfort, pressure sores, and long-term musculoskeletal complications. To address this issue, a fully integrated slippage detection system was developed to monitor an amputee’s daily activities and slippage occurrences to understand their prosthetic fit over time. The system consists of a prosthetic sock embedded with Interlink 406 flexible piezoresistive force-sensing resistors (FSRs). The sock, worn directly on the residual limb, continuously measures pressure at the limb-socket interface. Sensor data from six FSRs is sampled at approximately …

A Novel Microfluidic Device For Preclinical Testing Of Chemotherapeutics, Kaija Saleh Ogan

Master's Theses

This work demonstrates the feasibility of a novel microfluidic tumor model that reproduces physiologically relevant nutrient gradients and endothelium–tumor interactions, validating its potential as a preclinical test platform. Finite element simulations of glutamine diffusion and fluid dynamics aligned with experimental tracer studies, and co-cultures supported directed endothelial migration toward tumor spheroids, confirming the device’s ability to mimic in vivo–like behavior.

Current preclinical models often fail to capture the complexity of the tumor microenvironment (TME), limiting their predictive value for therapeutic testing. Nutrient availability and angiogenic signaling are critical drivers of tumor progression, yet they are poorly represented in traditional …